


he's in turmoil (as puzzled as can be)

by afrocurl



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Emotionally Crippled Erik, M/M, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-23
Updated: 2013-08-23
Packaged: 2017-12-24 10:15:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/938762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afrocurl/pseuds/afrocurl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erik's certain that his twins were responsible for his high school reunion invitation never being in the trash. He's also certain that Emma had an evil plan connected to the twins' plan.</p><p>Too bad there were no ways out of either set of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	he's in turmoil (as puzzled as can be)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aesc](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aesc/gifts).



> Based off **aesc** 's [idea](http://theletteraesc.tumblr.com/post/59073482607/this-is-kind-of-giving-me-wanda-and-pietro-find). It meant to be a snippet and grew.

No matter how many times he tried to throw the offending invitation away, it mystically returned from the trash bin to a place where he couldn’t avoid it on the fridge - right in front of his face.

“Emma, are you doing this with that stupid invitation?” he asked one day after work when they arrived at his apartment.

“I have no clue what you mean. Maybe the twins have taken an interest in dumpster diving? You really aren’t spending enough time with them.”

He huffed out a breath, annoyed with his best friend’s attitude - as always. “You’re the one that said I needed a better job, so you can’t complain when I’m not home enough.”

“I’m not complaining. I just listen to what your children say when they talk to me.” She started to reach into the cabinets for a wine glass and something to eat from the fridge. “But now that you mention it, the reunion is coming up in a few weeks.”

“Why would I want to go to that thing? It’s been fifteen years and I hated most everyone there.”

“You should go because you’re successful and you can rub that all in their faces.”

“I’m not the _most_ successful,” Erik added as he reached for his own wine glass. He knew that Emma wouldn’t let the conversation drop and so it was going to be something that he did while working his way towards a pleasant buzz.

“Ignore Charles. He already had that company waiting for him.”

Erik knew it was far too hard to ignore Charles. He hadn’t gotten over his breakup with Charles all those years ago, even if he now had two eight-year-old children and a failed marriage. “Easier said than done,” he finally said.

“Then you get drunk the whole time, and I’ll be on your arm to help.”

“If those are your conditions, then I accept.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to take them back, but Emma never gave up.

-

The next time he threw the invitation in the trash, it stayed there.

In place of the invitation, however, was a photo of Erik just after a Mock Trial round, with a small closed smile.

Clearly the twins were too much like their mother - stirring up trouble wherever they could.

-

“Pietro! Wanda! Kitty’s here. Come say hello!” Erik was yelling across the house, making sure that the twins were at least aware of their babysitter for the night. He knew that the twins knew Kitty well, but for something like tonight - one when he knew he was going to be gone until tomorrow morning - he wanted them to know she was _in charge_. “I won’t be back until tomorrow, and Kitty knows that I’m not really available. If you do anything wrong, she’s calling Azazel and Logan to come look after you.”

The twins, miraculously, appeared at his side. “We’ll be good,” Wanda said.

“Really good,” Pietro added.

“Be in bed by nine tonight, and no later. You’re still up at 9:30 and Kitty has my permission to call Az and Logan.”

The twins nodded and then ran off, just as the doorbell rang. Erik walked to the door and let Kitty in. He still had another thirty minutes before Emma was going to arrive, but he planned on starting the drinking early.

“Help yourself to anything you want, and the guest room is made up for you. The twins know to be in bed by nine or else you have permission to call Az and Logan.”

“Sure thing, Mr. Lehnsherr. Have a good time tonight,” Kitty said before she walked towards the living room and the sound of the television.

He grabbed a bottle of wine and a corkscrew. There was plenty of time to start drinking in the combined office and guest room without anyone noticing. 

-

On his third glass of wine, Emma arrived. Taking one look at him, she said, “You are eating _something_ before you drink anything more. You’re not making an ass out of yourself tonight.”

“I’m not that drunk,” he said, and started to get off his desk chair. He only swayed a little before he shot Emma a glare and stood to his full height.

“I’m not saying anything else.” Instead, she took his arm and walked with him to the stairs and towards the reunion.

-

Even on the thirty-minute drive from the Hollywood hills into Downtown, Erik fidgeted, and Emma sat and watched him intently. He knew he should care about it, but since she had all but forced him into the evening, he didn’t care. So long as she stayed on his arm for the night, it didn’t matter what happened.

There was a serious part of him that wished that Charles would never show so that the everyone could see him as a successful lawyer, and regret all the shit that they put him through then. But he also knew that Charles was never one to turn down a chance to shine in front of everyone who had all but ignored him then.

Erik excluded, of course.

The town car pulled into the lot of the Bonaventure, and the night was set to begin.

-

Emma walked him to the bar and as soon as they had ordered drinks, she flitted off for some of her student government friends. So much for her promise to stand by his side. He managed to take his drink and sit at a table, nursing his drink.

That left Erik alone, which he didn’t mind too much. He could drink without Emma’s scorn, but that also meant there was no one to tell him to slow down when Charles finally appeared. It was nice - the idea of drinking alone - until he saw Charles’ silhouette walk into the ballroom. Dressed in a cool grey suit, Charles was everything that Erik had missed in the last fifteen years.

Charles looked every inch like a professor, and it made Erik want to walk up and apologize for every mistake he made when they were young.

Instead, Erik made a beeline for the bar, and stood there, drinking more wine and ignoring Charles.

-

Distantly, Erik heard Emma make her introductions and thanked everyone for coming before they were told that the buffet was open.

Erik still hung on the bar and waited until the line was almost done before he started to move to walk and get food. He hadn’t left the bar in over an hour and just as he pushed himself away, he stumbled and fell to the floor.

Before he saw anyone at his side, Erik knew that the room had heard his collapse. He cursed his decision to drink so much, but then took it back as Charles’ small smile came into focus.

“Are you alright?” Charles asked.

Erik tried to say something, but he couldn’t get the words out. Instead, he took one of Charles’ hands in his, and started to rub his thumb into Charles’ skin.

“If I get you some food, will you eat it here?” Charles’ voice was as calm as always and all Erik did was nod in agreement. His head was a little fuzzy, but the food would help.

Maybe Charles at his side, too.

Erik noticed that the room had settled back down, all but ignoring his disruption.

His plans for the night had been ruined with his demonstration, but maybe that wasn’t so bad when Charles was at his side, holding a plate of food.

“Have some of this,” Charles said before he left again. Erik thought to protest, but then said nothing. Charles hadn’t gotten himself a plate.

Charles returned, and sat down cross-legged at Erik’s side. “Eat,” he added.

Erik picked up the fork and knife, trying his best to eat the food in front of him. The chicken, surprisingly, was palatable, and as he tucked into the plate, he heard Charles hum.

“What’s funny?” Erik asked between bites.

“Nothing, really. I was just thinking about how we left things and how this is the opposite of what you wanted then.”

Erik knew all too well what Charles meant; the reason they had broken up had to do with Erik’s determination not to rely on other people mixed with the distance between their choices for college.

“Well, my life isn’t how I imagined it at eighteen,” was all he said.

Charles looked confused, but said nothing. Erik took that as a sign he could finish his food. 

By the time he had finished eating, Charles had gone to get dessert. His plate sat between his hands and Erik’s, and Erik took that as a sign.

“I meant what I said earlier. I didn’t imagine I’d have twins or be here, but I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

“Really?” Charles asked. Erik knew how Charles fished for information, and decided that if he was here and Charles was at his side, he’d take it.

“I might trade one thing,” Erik said. Then he waited. And waited. Just as he thought Charles wouldn’t take the bait and respond, Charles opened his mouth. 

Erik decided that he’d take the chance, and pushed himself towards Charles’ mouth and kiss him; if the kiss didn’t tell Charles the one part of high school Erik wanted to change, then he didn’t know what would.

The kiss wasn’t something he’d want to tell the twins about, but as Charles cottoned on to what was happening, Erik didn’t mind. Charles kissed with a passion Erik had thought died when they broke up.

Erik pulled back when he couldn’t take in any more air and looked at Charles with a shocked expression. He hadn’t imagined that the kiss would go _that_ well.

“Me too,” was all Charles said in response. Erik took no time at all to try and stand, and as he did, looked at Charles expectantly. Charles followed behind him, and as they left the reunion, he had to admit that Emma hadn’t been wrong to press him into the event.

He stopped himself from thinking through that train of thought, though, just as soon as Charles’ hand grabbed onto one of his.

There was plenty of other things he’d want to do tonight.

Everything else could wait until the morning.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to **ninemoons42** and **kageillusionz** for the beta help. At this point all mistakes are mine.
> 
> Title nabbed from Arctic Monkey's "No Buses".

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [I Know Your Game (puzzled no longer)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4702277) by [theapolis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theapolis/pseuds/theapolis)




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